Maddie & Tae Perform at the 2023 National Christmas Tree Lighting
This photograph of country music duo Maddie & Tae at the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony and concert was taken by Matthew D'Agostino for the White House Historical Association on November 30, 2023. The 2023 tree lighting was the third presided over by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. They were joined in the festive celebration by Darren Criss, Samara Joy, Ledisi, Joe Walsh, Dionne Warwick, St. Vincent, and the United States Coast Guards Guardians Big Band.
Photographer
Matthew D'Agostino
Date of Work
November 30, 2023
Type
Photograph
Credit
Matthew D'Agostino for the White House Historical Association
Featuring Luci Baines Johnson, Daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson; John Dalton, Former U.S. Secretary of the Navy; Robert McGee, member of the White House Historical Association’s National Council on White House History
It is hard to imagine that it was something as casual as a lunch conversation between a newly elected president and an amateur gardener that gave rise to one of our nation's most iconic outdoor spaces. In this collection, Rose Garden designer Rachel Lambert Mellon explains how the grounds were so thoughtfully transformed, while others detail the White House's diverse
The White House Grounds began as approximately 85 acres of land chosen by George Washington and were cultivated by garden-loving President Thomas Jefferson. These shifting grounds around the Executive Mansion have seen retaining walls, green houses, vegetable gardens, and beautiful flowers. Changes to the landscape came in long intervals and evolved to fit the era and the needs of the residents.
At age 43, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the youngest person ever elected to the presidency. Before his vibrant presidency was cut short by an assassin's bullets on November 22, 1963, he had reinvigorated the American spirit. His optimism and belief in America's responsibilities to the world live on as part of his legacy.
NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 6 (COLLECTION I)
WHITE HOUSE HISTORY • NUMBER 1
1 — Foreword by Melvin M. Payne
5 — President Kennedy’s Rose Garden by Rachel Lambert Mellon
13 — White House Album: History in the Camera’s Eye by Oliver Jensen
23 — The Association’s Twentieth Year by Nash Castro
29 — History in White House Silver by Joseph D. Carr
39 — Stone Walls Preserved by James I. McDaniel
46 — A Colored Man’s Reminiscences of
2023
2023 Best Book Awards
Furnishing the White House: The Decorative Arts Collection, Finalist, Art
Life in the White House, Finalist, History: United States
The Official White House Christmas Ornament: Collected Stories of a Holiday Tradition, Winner, Novelty & Gift Book
Rocco at the White House Easter Egg Roll, Finalist, Children's Nonfiction
Rocco at the White House Easter Egg Roll, Finalist, Children's
Since joining the White House Historical Association in 2014, Stewart McLaurin has had been published a number of times. Topics range from the construction of the White House, First Lady history, the Easter Egg Roll, and others related to White House History. See below for a selected list of Stewart’s articles and publications.
External Publications
USA Today Opinion Columns
When yo
Few symbols of American democracy inspire a greater sense of awe than the White House. For more than two hundred years, the residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has provided a stage for some of the most momentous decisions in American and world history. Since the completion of the White House in 1800, every president of the United States, beginning with John Adams,
"They are not as tall or articulate as you think they should be. And they're not super people, so that is a bit of a letdown. Then you begin to understand, though, when you write about them as I have, how vital they are to the American system." These words were spoken by esteemed political journalist Hugh Sidey, in a
Bill BarkerVeteran historical actor-interpreter Bill Barker is widely recognized as the nation’s foremost interpreter of Thomas Jefferson. After portraying Thomas Jefferson at Colonial Williamsburg for 26 years, Barker joined the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello in 2019. Barker began interpreting Jefferson in 1984 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Barker has performed as Jefferson around the world, including the White House, the U.S.
The Lyndon B. Johnson Administration began during a time of great uncertainty. In November 1963, the assassination of President Kennedy had stunned America. New First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson certainly felt a desire to help the nation heal. She chose comforting and nostalgic holiday decor during her White House years. Her 1965 and 1966 Blue Room Christmas trees were decorated in an